Member of the Month October 2024: Kieran Irvin

 Here at The Staff Canteen, we feature a different member every month who we think deserves to be celebrated - this month’s winner is Kieran Irvin.

As thanks for being a regular contributor to The Staff Canteen, Chris will receive a TSC mug, and be entered in our Member of the Year 2025 competition. 

Kieran has been a member of The Staff Canteen since May 2023.

>>> Find out more about Kieran and follow him

Current place of work/position?

I'm the head chef at The Angel of Corbridge, a British pub with rooms situated in Northumberland dating back to 1569 in the beautiful village of Corbridge.

What is your cooking style and what should people expect from the food on your menu?

The majority of dishes on my menus use ingredients and produce people know well but with an added twist.

I like to include dishes and flavours you wouldn’t ordinarily see on a country pub menu, such as berbere or wojapi. I think this keeps things interesting for customers and gives them the opportunity to try new things. I studied art and graphics at college, so plating is important to me; I like modern minimalistic plating to showcase the dish.

What is your favourite dish to cook and why?

I have recently started experimenting more with pastry and have been focussing on improving my skills in this area. I’ve really enjoyed creating vegan alternatives to classic desserts. One of my favourite dishes on the Autumn menu is my version of a vegan Black Forest Gateau - black cherry Panna cotta, kirche-soaked chocolate sponge, chocolate soil, amaretto & cherry sorbet, kirche cherries, cocoa nibs and a chocolate tuille. 

Name a food item/dish/ingredient that isn’t considered “cheffy” but that you love to eat

The sandwich, what’s not to love about a sandwich. You’ll always remember a good sandwich, and the bad ones! 

What do you like about The Staff Canteen app and website?

I love that everything is under one app-a daily updated news feed on hospitality for chefs but Front of House too. I also like to see what other chefs are doing, not just in the UK, but worldwide. I’ve had chefs reach out from USA and Europe to ask for recipes and compliment my work. It’s great to have access to a wider network to share ideas and learn from each other. It’s what drives us as chefs to be known and to excel to the next level. 

What are your plans for the future?

I would like to take my cooking to the next level by gaining knowledge and continuing to experiment with different flavours. It would be great to do some stages in establishments outside of the North East to help elevate my knowledge and skills.

What is the most important lesson you’ve learnt as a chef?

Time is precious, so utilise it well. You never have enough of it, so prioritise your daily tasks. Constantly take on advice from feedback, if it’s good or even bad.